Door lock spring unit



Jan. 3, 1956 E. L. SCHLAGE 2,

DOOR LOCK SPRING UNIT Filed Aug. 20, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 MIME!" INVENTOR. [RM/:57" .4. 50/445:

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Jan. 3, 1956 E. L. SCHLAGE 2,729,485

DOOR LOCK SPRING UNIT Filed Aug. 20, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. I0

INVENTOR. fe/visr 4 50/146:

Jan. 3, 1956 Filed Aug. 20, 1951 E- L SCHLAGE DOOR LOCK SPRING UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W, FIG. 9

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INVENTOR. [x /var z. 56/1146! United States Patent DOOR LOCK SPRING UNIT Ernest L. Schlage, Burlingame, Calih, assignor to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Application August 20, 1951, Serial No. 242,622

Claims. (Cl. 292-4 My invention relates primarily to door hardware and especially to door locks having a spindle rotatable with respect to the frame of the lock an on which an eccentric lever or handle is provided for rotating the spindle, and in which the weight of the handle itself imposes a rotational load upon the spindle. It is normally desired to maintain a lock spindle in a predetermined or set neutral or unactuated position for various reasons, and a con centric knob or uniformly weighted actuator does not introduce any rotational force onto the spindle and hence does not tend to displace the spindle from its predetermined neutral location. An actuating lever, being eccentric, does impose a rotational load upon the spindle. Normally that rotational load is resisted by the spring which projects the latch bolt or locking bolt. If the lock actuating lever is quite heavy, the spring for the bolt must also be quite heavy. In practice various difierent sorts of handles may be applied to the same lock so some of them, because of a heavy spring, may be unnecessarily difiicult to actuate or some of them, because of a light spring, may sag out of position.

it is therefore an object of my invention to provide a spring unit for use with a door lock having a frame and a spindle so that the normal light latch spring has to bear only the customary loads.

It is another object of my invention to provide an additional or auxiliary spring unit for use primarily when the hardware, such as levers, introduces an ececntric or rotational load on the door lock.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a spring unit having springs designed for long life and freedom from breakage even after repeated use.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a spring unit which can be readily utilized in connection with locks of a known construction.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a spring unit which imposes an initial or pre-load upon the actuating lever of a lock in order to insure that the lever is retained, even under adverse conditions, in its predetermined neutral location.

A still further object of my invention is in general to improve locks.

While the spring unit of my invention can readily be incorporated in a number of different forms, it has suc cesstully been embodied in the manner described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a door and door jamb with a lock unit of a customary kind installed therein, the lock unit having an actuating lever or handle imposing an eccentric or rotational load.

Figure 2 is for the most part a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 22 of Figure l, but with certain portions being shown in plan.

Figure 3 is a cross section, the plane of which is indi cated by the line 33 of Figure 2, and showing the spring unit to a greatly enlarged scale and with the oper- "ice ating lever indicated in a neutral or predetermined central position and with the rose plate and spindle omitted.

Figure 4 is a cross section similar to Figure 3 but taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and showing the operating lever in a depressed position and with the rose plate and spindle omitted.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the operating lever in an elevated position and with the rose plate and spindle omitted.

Figure 6 is an isometric view with portions of a door shown in phantom and illustrating a spring unit in accordance with my invention and as normally installed.

Figure 7 is an exploded view of some of the coaxial parts of the spring unit of my invention.

Figure 8 is an elevation of a coil compression spring for use in the spring unit.

Figure 9 is a plan of the coil spring in arcuate position but prior to stressing to fit into its enclosing cup.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 4 and shows a modification.

in its usual environment, the spring unit of my invention is utilized in connection with hardware installed on a door 6 hinged at a remote point from a door jamb 7 having a stop bar 8 thereon. A latch or lock unit 9 of customary construction is installed in the door 6 to cooperate with a strike plate 11 fastened on the jamb 7. Various types of actuators are utilized in connection with the latch unit 9 depending upon various factors immaterial here.

In one typical installation, the latch unit is provided with an actuator in the form of a substantially square spindle 12 or shaft extending through the door 6 and emerging through an escutcheon plate 13 to be lodged within the hub 14 of an actuating handle 16 or lever. A set screw 17 secures the actuating handle hub to the spindle 12. Usually it is preferred to have the handle 16 in the horizontal position shown in Figure 1 when the door is fully closed and when it is left open. The horizontal handle is of a substantial weight, the center of gravity being ececntric to the axis 18 of rotation of the spindle 12. The tendency of the handle 16 is therefore to drop or to droop and to rotate the spindle 12 somewhat and in an extreme case partially to Withdraw the latch 19 from the strike plate 11 and into the latch unit 9 against the force of the usual light projecting spring 21.

Since the handle 16 may also be installed degrees from its illustrated location, and since the type of latch unit may vary in different instances, it is possible for the lever or actuator 16 to produce a rotation of the spindie 12 in either direction away from the desired neutral or predetermined, central position.

To obviate this difiiculty, I preferably provide, in accordance with my invention, a special spring unit 26 in the form of an additional or auxiliary spring mechanism to augment and supplement the action of the spring 21. The unit 26 is conveniently installed within the confines of an escutcheon plate or rose 27, associated with a second actuating lever or handle 28 on the far side of the door. The handle or actuating lever 28 has a hub 29 fast on the spindle 12 and held by a set screw 31. Since the spindle 12 is solid and is secured to both of the handles 16 and 28, it is necessary to provide only one spring unit 26.

For this reason, and in order to assist in the mounting of the structure on the door 6, I preferably provide an arrangement as shown in Figure 6. According to this, the spindle 12 passes through a fastening disc 36 underlying the escutcheon plate 13 and formed with a pair of apertures 37 for the reception of screws to secure the disc to the material of the door -6. Extending from the disc 36 are screw members 38 freely rotatable by a screw driver or wrench (not shown) and received within, internally threaded tubes 39 extended from a mounting plate 41 abutting the opposite face of the door 6. The tubes 39 interengage with parts of the latch unit 3 in a well understood way. The spindle 12 is in engagement with a lever 42 which actuates the latch unit.

The plate 41, in addition to the anchorages 40 for the tubes 39, has a central opening 43 concentric with the axis 18. The plate is also formed with a pair of upstanding lugs 44 finished with a substantially arcuate cross section in a plane perpendicular to the axis. The lugs extend substantially parallel to the axis and are at substantially the same radial distance therefrom, being located on opposite sides of the opening 43.

Supported from the plate 41 and extending through the opening 43 is a rotatable hub 46 having a central passageway 47 therethrough of a non-circular cross sectional configuration and fitting easily when the hub slides over the spindle 12. The hub 46 is freely rotatable within the opening 43 and at one end has an enlarged flange 43 hearing against the inner face of the plate 41. Mounted freely to rotate within the plate 41, the hub turns when the spindle is rotated.

Part of the hub 46 projects through the opening 43 and carries a cup 51. The cup is comprised of a radial wall 52 bounded by an outer cylindrical band 53 and an inner cylindrical band 54 to define a substantially annular volume on three sides. The inner band 54 is of a size and contour to ride easily on the extended hub 46 whereas the outer band 53 is of a diameter to surround the lugs 44.

In order that the cup 51 can be accommodated quite close to the plate 41. and in order to keep it from rotating with respect to the plate 41, the cup is provided with a pair of arcuate slots 56 and 57 so positioned as to pass around the lugs 44 so that these lugs then project into the annular space 52 within the cup.

Also assembled coaxially with the hub 46, the plate 43, and the cup 51 is a disc 61 having a non-circular central aperture 62 designed to fit upon a similarly shaped noncircular lug 63 at one end of the hub 46, so that the disc 61 when in engagement with the hub must necessarily turn with the hub and with the spindle 12. A pair of tabs 64 is provided on the disc. The tabs are disposed diametrically opposite each other on opposite sides of the aperture 62 and face in a direction opposite to the direction of the lugs 44. The radius of the tabs 64 is considerably more than the radius of the lugs 44 so that when the parts are assembled, in one rotated position of the spindle with respect to the general frame of the lock unit, the tabs 44 lie immediately within the lugs 64 and on the same general diameter.

All of this mechanism is utilized as an actuating and housing structure for a pair of helical or coiled compression springs 66 (Figure 8) each of which is of a diameter to fit Within the annular space 52 and is of a length so that when the spring is deformed (Figure 9) substantially to fit half of such space, the spring is a little too long. Each of the springs must therefore be compressed to reduce its length in order to occupy What is left of the annular space not taken by the lugs 44 and the tabs 64.

Especially as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 the springs 66 occupy all of the available annular space not taken by the lugs and tabs and are confined externally by the band 53 and are confined internally by the band in addition, these springs are confined laterally on one side by the wall 52 of the up 51 and on the other side by the disc 61. When this assembly has been made, preferably the end of the irregular portion 63 of the hub is spun over so that the disc 61 is retained in this location.

The circumferential extent of the lugs 44 and the circumferential extent of the tabs 64 are such that their angular extent is substantially identical as shown in Fig ure 3 and so that the pair of springs 66 are pre-stresscd or are somewhat compressed in the neutral condition of the apparatus. The amount of pre-stressing in the springs is sufiicient to overcome the force of gravity acting on the extending operating lover or handle 28 so that the handle is held in its predetermined neutral or horizontal intermediate or relaxed position without any stress whatsoever being transmitted to the lever 42, all the unbalanced weight being imposed on the springs by the tabs 64. The remaining ends of the springs are held firmly against the abutrnents provided by the lugs 44 which are fixed relative to the frame work of the lock; that is, with respect to the plate 41. The handle 28 therefore cannot droop more than the amount permitted by the springs 66, and if the strength of the springs or the pre-stress of the springs is sufficient, the weight of the handle or handles is insufficient to cause any deflection of the springs.

it is necessary for an operator to rotate the spindle in order to move the springs at all. As shown particularly in Figure 4, when the handle 28 is moved downwardly or is depressed by an operator in order to rotate the spindle 12, the same action is effective to rotate the plate 61 so that the tabs 64 revolve in a similar arcuate path to compress the springs. The springs are loaded eccentrically and might fly out from their locations but are retained by the surrounding cup member 51. The springs may actually contact the outer band 53 of the cup and afford some frictional braking to reduce vibration or surge in the springs, particularly when the handle is subsequently released abruptly. This prevents spring noise and adds to the life of the springs. Since the springs are devoid of any sharp bends, are not stressed unduly at a critical or flexural point and are in eliect free within rather wide limits, the spring life is indefinitely long. As shown in Figure 5, if the actuating handle 28 is lifted rather than depressed, the only difference is that the tabs 64 operate the springs in the reverse sense. in either event, when the handle is released, the auxiliary spring set is effective to bring the handle exactly to its neutral position and keep it there. This provides the desired effect.

In most instances it is satisfactory if the springs 66 bottom or come into solid coil to coil contact to serve as stops for the maximum movement of the handle 28. Under some conditions. it is preferred to provide some other form of stop. in that instance, one of the tabs 64 is lengthened sufiiciently, as shown in Figure 5, so as to extend through an arcuate slot 6?; cut in the plate 41 at an appropriate location. The tab 64 can move from its neutral position in either direction from center until it comes to the end of the extended slot 68, whereupon contact between the tab and the material of the plate arrests further rotating movement prior to the time the spring coils contact each other.

While the end of the hub 63 can be spun, peened or riveted if desired, in some cases the screw members 38 are reversed or interchanged with the screw tubes 39 from the position as shown in Figure 6 into an opposite position. In that instance it is desirable to omit the fastening and to take off the spring unit cup 51 and any other attendant structure in order that a screw driver may engage the heads of the screws which then rest within the apertures 40.

in accordance with this arrangement, it is possible to utilize a standard latch unit with a spring adequate only for the latch and to provide at least one auxiliary spring unit on the latch spindle 12. If desired and if the handle 26 is unduly eccentric or heavy, a pair of such auxiliary spring units can be supplied, one on each side of the door beneath its respective escutcheon plate. Furthermore, if only half the spring force is necessary, it can be provided merely by the elimination of one of the springs 66. It is preferred, however, to utilize both of the springs 66 and have them more than adequately strong so that in the very remote event of breakage of one of the springs, the other spring 66 will still serve to retain the handle in its desired neutral position under normal conditions. If only one spring is used, it can be made extra long and at its opposite ends can abut an adjacent lug 44 and tab 64, the other lug and tab being omitted in this instance as shown in Fig. 10.

I claim:

1. A spring unit for use with a door lock having a frame and a spindle comprising a mounting plate having a central opening, means for securing said mounting plate on said frame with said spindle extending through said opening, a pair of lugs upstanding from said mounting plate and directed away from said frame, a cup having a central aperture and a pair of slots disposed with said lugs extending through said slots, a disc coupled to said spindle for rotation therewith, a pair of tabs upstanding from said disc and in one position of said spindle overlying said lugs, a pair of helical compression springs disposed within said cup and abutting said lugs and said tabs, said lugs and said tabs being disposed relative to the ends of said springs to extend substantially diametrally of the latter whereby axially directed forces are applied to said springs upon rotation of said spindle.

2. A spring unit for use with a door lock having a frame and a spindle comprising a plate having a central opening, posts upstanding from one side of said plate for securing said plate to said frame, lugs upstanding from the other side of said plate and disposed opposite each other across said opening, a hub non-rotatably engaging said spindle and journalled in said opening and extending in the direction of said lugs, a cup journalled on said hub and having walls defining an annulus and having slots receiving said lugs, a pair of helical compression springs disposed in said annulus with their ends spaced apart and against said lugs, a plate non-rotatably engaging said hub, and tabs on said plate extending into the spaces between the ends of said springs.

3. A spring unit for use with a door lock having a fixed frame and a spindle rotatable relative to said frame for actuating a bolt, means on said frame defining an annular space, abutments fixed relative to said frame and at substantially diametrically opposite points in said space dividing the latter into two sections, a pair of axially elongated helical compression springs respectively received in said sections with the opposite ends of said springs in engagement with said abutments, a pair of spring engaging elements carried by said spindle adjacent said abutments and adapted to be engaged by the ends of said springs when the latter are in engagement with said abutments, whereby said springs are compressed between said elements and said abutments upon rotation of said spindle.

4. A spring unit for use with a door lock having a fixed frame and a spindle rotatable relative to said frame for actuating a bolt, means on said frame defining an annular space, abutments fixed relative to said frame and at substantially diametrically opposite points in said space dividing the latter into two sections, a pair of axially elongated helical compression springs respectively received in said sections with the opposite ends of said springs in engagement with said abutments, a pair of spring engaging elements carried by said spindle adjacent said abutments and adapted to be engaged by the ends of said springs when the latter are in engagement with said abutments, whereby said springs are compressed between said elements and said abutments upon rotation of said spindle, said elements being radially spaced relative to said abutments but subtending substantially the same angle relative to the axis of said spindle to permit simultaneous engagement of said elements and said abutments by the ends of said springs.

5. A spring unit for use with a door lock having a fixed frame and a spindle comprising: a spring retainer carried by said frame and defining an annulus, a pair of lugs carried by said frame and extending axially into said annulus at diametrically opposite points to provide abutments and to divide said annulus into substantially equal sections, a pair of elongated helical compression springs respectively arranged within each of said section under compression with their opposite ends engaging said lugs, a pair of tabs carried by said spindle and respectively positioned alongside said lugs, said lugs and said tabs subtending equal angles with the center of said annulus whereby the ends of said springs engage said tabs and lugs simultaneously.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,858 Hagstrom May 2, 1950 2,554,438 Bacon May 22, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 480,364 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1938 

